There are many things that influence the sheer odds that a couple will get divorced. The age at which they get married can play a role, for instance, as can whether or not their own parents got divorced when they were younger.
One interesting thing to consider is that job loss has been connected to an increase in the odds of divorce. This certainly doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed or anything like that. But someone who loses their job is more likely to also lose their marital relationship than someone who keeps both. Why is this?
Financial stability
A big issue is that couples often view marriage as a way to seek financial stability. Married couples may think that they are better off together than they would be on their own. But if one person loses their job, that stability is ruined, and their spouse may believe that they would actually be in a better position on their own. This is especially true if it’s a pattern where the person consistently gets fired or can’t hold down a job for a significant amount of time.
Even for a couple who didn’t intend for their marriage to create financial stability, the loss of a job can just bring on additional stress. They could be worried about foreclosure and losing their home. They may struggle to make ends meet or keep food on the table for their children. In other words, lack of financial resources creates stress for a lot of other reasons, and those reasons could then push the couple toward divorce.
No matter why it happens, those who are going through a divorce must be aware of the legal steps they can take and the rights and options they have.